An Ipswich man was racially abusive to a security guard at a town centre pub after being asked to leave his work shovel outside, it has been alleged.
Nathan Bennett had gone to the Cricketers Wetherspoon pub in Crown Street in October 2023 wearing hi-vis work clothing and carrying a bag and a shovel, Ipswich Crown Court heard.
A security guard had asked him to take the shovel outside and Bennett had allegedly immediately become aggressive and told him to “f*** off”, said Charles Judge, prosecuting.
He claimed that Bennett had been rude and argumentative to the security guard and had referred to him as a “Paki”.
Colleagues of the security guard had become involved and Bennett was taken outside and restrained on the ground.
The police were called and Bennett had been put in a police van where he was allegedly shouting and verbally abusive while being taken to a police station, said Mr Judge.
Bennett, 56, of Foxhall Road, Ipswich, has pleaded not guilty to an offence of racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress.
After his arrest Bennett said he had taken his work tools to the pub after being laid off from his job and this had caused an issue at the pub.
He accepted that he had been annoyed and had told the security guard that he hadn’t gone to his country and told him where to go and he shouldn’t come to this country and tell him where to go.
He denied being racist and said security staff had been aggressive and a finger had been put on his chest.
He accepted he had been drinking and was “merry” and that he had used offensive language.
However, he said this was when he was on the ground outside the pub and was a result of the way he had been treated.
The trial continues.
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